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Stories about students and the initiatives designed to improve performance. Are the many education reforms Florida has adopted having an impact?

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May 13, 2013

Recording: K12 Managers Admit Difficulties Hiring Certified Teachers In Florida

A 2009 recording shows online educator K12 had difficulty hiring properly certified teachers in Florida. A draft state investigation found no evidence the company used teachers who were not Florida-certified, but used three teachers who were not subject certified.

In 2009, managers at online education company K12 were having a tough time hiring Florida teachers. State law requires teachers are certified in their subject area and by the state. So when a K12 teacher saw her name listed on company documents as teaching Florida classes she had not taught, she asked her managers about [...]

Listen To K12 Managers Explain Florida Teacher Hiring Issues

5-13 Recorder

In 2009, teachers with online education company K12, Inc. were concerned about “water cooler talk” that their teaching certifications were used without their knowledge, including in Florida. Company managers held a series of phone calls with staff to explain the situation, including admitting that a teacher’s name showed up on a roster of Florida teachers [...]

May 10, 2013

Feedback Loop: More About Math Edcuation

A recent study says that schools are emphasizing math which few students will use in their careers. Readers argue advanced concepts are essential because they improve logic and reasoning.

Yesterday we wrote about a National Center on Education and the Economy study which argued students were learning a lot of math they won’t end up using in their career. And schools were not spending enough time on more fundamental concepts in elementary and middle school which were more likely to be used by workers. [...]

May 9, 2013

Study: Schools And Colleges Are Teaching The Wrong Type Of Math

Most students are being taught math they will never use, while schools skimp on or omit foundational skills student use more according to a new study.

Community college students are needlessly assigned to remedial math classes to learn lessons they won’t use during their studies, according to new research from a Washington, D.C. group. And the study also found that many high school graduates are not learning subjects they will need to use in their careers. The study was produced by [...]

May 8, 2013

Newsweek: Florida Boasts 115 Of The Nation’s Best Public High Schools

More than 100 Florida public high schools are among America’s best — including the second-best high school in the country — according to Newsweek. The magazine ranks the country’s top 2,000 public high schools each year. Newsweek says the winners are “those that have proven to be most effective in turning out college-ready grads.” The [...]

May 6, 2013

Parent University Provides A Lesson On New Common Core Standards

Joanne Land, right, sorts vocabulary words into tiers to learn more about how Common Core standards work. Land was one of hundreds of parents who attended a recent Parent University session. Many parents said they wanted to learn more about Common Core standards and testing.

The small group of parents hovered over a list of words, deciding where to sort “cloud,” “photosynthesis,” and “google.”  They paid particular attention to words indicating facts, evidence or conclusions. Words such as analyze, convince or insight. Students will use these words to support their conclusions, analysis and opinions. “This is the key category,” said [...]

May 3, 2013
April 30, 2013

A Parent’s Guide To How New Common Core Tests Are Different From FCAT

2-20 CommonCoreApple

By now, most Florida parents have heard the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test is on its way out. But they might not know a whole lot about what’s replacing the FCAT. The most likely replacement is known as PARCC, or the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Students are scheduled to begin [...]

April 26, 2013

New Yorkers Sound Off On New State Exams

New York students, parents and teachers now have a place to sound off about new state exams tied to Common Core standards.

A professor at Teacher’s College, Columbia University has set up a website to allow New York students, parents and educators to post comments about the new state English language arts test. The tests are now tied to Common Core education standards adopted by 45 states — including Florida. New York students have been taking the [...]

April 24, 2013

Corporal Punishment Will Return To Marion County Elementary Schools

The paddle at Sneads High School in Jackson County, Fla. sits on the principal's desk.

The Marion school board has voted to reinstate paddling in county elementary schools after a three-year hiatus. The punishment comes with a few restrictions. From the Ocala Star-Banner: The board ruled that paddling can be used only if a parent gives a standing written OK once a year. In addition, the principal must obtain verbal [...]

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